Rant All keyboard layouts are wrong

this is why my next keyboard is gonna have a separate num pad, like the Logitech di novo media keyboard, although it is a bit expensive

 

Yeah, that sounds about right. I had to study this as part of my Human-Computer Interaction and Interactive System Design module at university. Essentially, the QWERTY convention is standardised and so socially accepted that people don't want to change. Apparently, it made Dvorak very bitter too.

 

I use the arrow keys for FPS's, too. I'd sooooooo buy this if they did it in black.

 

http://www.keyboardco.com/keyboard_details.asp?PRODUCT=484 put your money where you mouth and bad link clicking skills are

or get this monstrosity http://www.keyboardco.com/keyboard_images/maltron_ergonomic_single_right_handed_keyboard_large.jpg
the u is in a damn odd place even if it is for people with one hand...

 

Jeebus, does it come with a free eye test too?

Ordering now

 

I type using only me right hand on the right handed Dvorak layout, I think I'd rather stick with a standard keyboard than get one of them.

 

usb keypad.

 

I wonder what the red button does

 

lul i seen one of those in a 747 once i think


I've used the same keyboard at home for years. Microsoft Multimedia Keyboard 1.0a

 

I disagree with all points actually, though I suppose the reason for this is plain and simply because I have become (over the course of 23-24 years) quite used to the standard QWERTY layout.

I see your points, but QWERTY is so ingrained in our society now that switching layouts will be more trouble than it's worth I think.

Not that most of us really have much to complain about though...

http://jcoons.netdot.net/pics/Germany/Germany 061.jpg

(I'm thinking about seeing if I can get one of those and put it on a plinth. )

 

I wholeheartedly agree with you Jamie, I love using my numpad, but it would be so much easier if it were on the left hand side as I could use it and my mouse at the same time.

Plus the enter, + and . buttons on my numpad being broken when I spilt milk on it the first day I got it really annoys me

 

I don't have a problem with QWERTY

 

Sorry, my bad.

I tend to forget that QWERTY as a layout does not neccessarily refer to the whole keyboard (including the numpad). My point was that for me I concider the placement of every key quite perfect (also including the numpad), but also that I think this is mainly due to habit. All keyboards I have ever owned (or touched for that matter) has had more or less the same layout, with the numpad to the right. And since I am right-handed, my mouse has always had its place to the right of the keyboard.

Personally I think learning to use my left hand for the numpad really would be more trouble than it's worth because most keyboards I am likely to encounter will have the standard layout. Furthermore, my left hand is quite useless on its own, but I do use it for WASD-gaming. I did, however, know a bloke who was ambidextrous - quite cool, though, as special powers go, not all that useful ).


Now I do feel that I'm ranting though.

It was not my intention to imply that you did not like the QWERTY layout. I merely wanted to state my opinion on the whole "all keyboard layouts being wrong" deal.

 

Why is that monster being billed as a "left-handed" keyboard? It's got the exact same problem Jamie is complaining about with regular keyboards, only backwards, for equal opportunity offending. For that matter, they didn't even reverse the keys - it's still a standard qwerty keyboard.

I like my Saitek Eclipse 2 - the numpad is right where I want it, out of the way to the right.

 

I like the distance for gaming, I think a solution for the numpad thing might be to use a laptop-esq key lay out were the numpad is placed in conjunction with the qwerty keys that way you can use your left hand and mouse.

 

I never use the keypad unless I'm using Solidworks or Sketchup where lots of numbers need to be inputed

 

TOTALLY AGREE WITH NUMBER 4. Drives me mad. I use super low sensitivity and I'm always hitting the right side of my keyboard which is taken up by the, you guessed it - numpad !@#!@$!@$

 

I can picture a business opportunity here - a keyboard with a USB port on either side, and the numpad with a cable coming from the base of it and going into a channel until it comes out on your easily-altered side of preference.

Or, like the others said re. DiNovos:



Ignoring the smiley stickers (cookie for anyone who recognises the source) and messy desk, it's just what you're after. Plus, the media pad is great for sitting next to the bed when you want late-night music

 

The ironic thing is that most people can now type faster on a QWERTY layout than an ABCDEF one. The last time I tried to use an ABC keyboard I failed spectacularly.

 

Isnt that cos QWERTY keyboards are designed so that your fingers travel the minimum amount of distance possible by grouping frequently used letter combinations close together and in logical patters?